Busisiwe Mzandolo to present ‘Street Youth Dialogue’ in Alex
Busisiwe Mzandolo, a therapist at Heath Culture Consulting company, alongside with Phoenix Alexandra founder Emily Nkateko Mabasa plan to celebrate June 16, with a 'Street Youth Dialogue.'
Busisiwe Mzandolo, a therapist at Health Culture Consulting company, and NPO Phoenix Alexandra founder Emily Nkateko Mabasa, who is living with a disability called cerebral palsy, plan to organise a Street Youth Dialogue on June 16.
Mabasa collects kids from the Alex community to teach them to dance and study and learn about charity – all activities to keep them off the streets.
Mzandolo explained, “As a therapist I focus on youth mental health and make it fashionable for them to empower young people, help them build their self-confidence and teach them about self-employment. On 16 June, we will have a Street Youth Dialogue hosted in one of Alex’s schools to be mentioned soon upon approval from the school.
“The dialogue will be about giving the youth of Alex a voice, as they will be talking about all things youth mental health, such as unemployment and how they can be supported; what they need our government to assist them with in Alex in order for them to have better lifestyles away from drugs, substances and teenage pregnancies.”
Mzandolo said she felt the young people do not have the voice and opportunities to create their lives the way they want it to be, because they have so many challenges that adults do not know about, or how to support them. Thus, this event will give them that voice to be heard by showing support and being part of helping youth to develop themselves and programmes that will bring about change.
“We are hoping to change the idea that mental health means you’re losing your mind, or you are not well. We want to help the youth to be well equipped mentally and motivate them enough to get out of their situation and fight for everything they want.”
Mzandolo said they need more young voices to participate so that they can collaborate everything and use it to help where they can as this might reach those in power to assist.
“We are expecting large numbers of young people – please come wearing jeans and T-shirts, white or black. We are hoping to have a good time; we are looking for community DJs that can invest their time and photographers to cover this day and some companies to donate lunch packs for the kids as I cannot do this alone. Your services can be marketed on that day and be used for corporate places you never expected.”
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